|
One of the pieces of the fare increase that has gotten a lot of press is that “peak of the peak” fares have been eliminated.
Uhm.
Yes and No?
The Good News is: yes there will not be a 90 minute window where you will be charged more than some other fare.
In terms of pricing?
The (mostly) Bad News is: just about everyone loses here.
Peak of the peak fare payers
Many of you will be paying more for the new Peak fares than you did for peak of the peak!
This is a preview of You want the Good News or the Bad News: Peak (of the Peak?) . Read the full post (309 words, 1 image, estimated 1:14 mins reading time)
For those of you who have been paying attention – you know that the Board voted to increase bus and rail fares effective July 1, 2012.
What I don’t think has been properly put out in the mainstream media is how much that this is going to cost you: especially if you are an off-peak rail rider.
I spent this past weekend pulling station mileage data from the wmata.com website. By Wednesday I’ll have an online tool that you can use to compare your fares now to the ones that will be in effect on July 1 (Both peak and off peak rail fares will be available).
The following is from material presented by WMATA at the 4/2/2012 AAC (Accessibility Advisory Committee) meeting (Board Memo dated March 23, 2012).
The challenge of showing this piece of slight of hand is a bit like the illusion of sawing a person (usually female) in two (Chris Angel did multiple pieces but he IS an over achiever).
So… rather than static pictures: today’s offering has movement and sound:
( for cell users: you tube)
So – to summarize:
- If you chop data up in small enough bits you can distort its information.
The following is from material presented by WMATA at last night’s AAC (Accessibility Advisory Committee) meeting (Board Memo dated March 23, 2012).
So.. more Magic Metro numbers to Mystify and Entertain!
Notice: I’m not changing the numbers, the categories, the language … just where the magician’s hand is pointing.
And a reminder on this magic trick: we’re only talking about the category of riders who pay or don’t pay the capped fare for their trips. As a personal example – the majority of my fares ARE $7 (the ones for my commute to work) but not every fare is- some are only $5 or $6.
The following is from material presented by WMATA at last night’s AAC (Accessibility Advisory Committee) meeting (Board Memo dated March 23, 2012).
One of the most important skills a person can possess is an active crap detector. I’m not sure it is something that can be taught… but however you get it, mine hit 1000% at the AAC meeting last night.
It was a little like watching a magician’s slight of hand. The important thing is in having the ability to watch the correct hand!
And here, before your eyes… I will give you a quick demonstration of WMATA magic:
While the public comment period for the Budget and fare proposals is officially closed – the Board itself will not come to a final decision for around 60 days.
For those 60 days, I will continue to make my voice heard in the “public court” and hope that my readership (and the ridership) will continue to amplify this simple 2 point message:
The fare structure instituted in March 2010 was wrong.
The fare structure needs to be changed in a way that is equitable.
This is a continuation of an address aimed at the Board as a follow up on the meeting proceedings which can be heard here.
While the public comment period for the Budget and fare proposals is officially closed – the Board itself will not come to a final decision for around 60 days.
For those 60 days, I will continue to make my voice heard in the “public court” and hope that my readership (and the ridership) will continue to amplify this simple 2 point message:
The fare structure instituted in March 2010 was wrong.
The fare structure needs to be changed in a way that is equitable.
This is a continuation of an address aimed at the Board as a follow up on the meeting proceedings which can be heard here.
Tired of all the lies, excuses and double talk?
Email them some straight talk of your own.
Deadline for all written testimony: 5 p.m. on Monday, March 12.
The face-to-face public hearing period is over. You may submit written testimony by following the instructions found here (“How to Submit Written Comments“) or by using the form below.
Bus Fares
|
|
Current |
Proposed |
Current |
Proposed |
|
Smart Trip |
Smart Trip |
Cash |
Cash |
| Local |
$1.50 |
$1.60 |
$1.70 |
$2.00 |
| Express |
$3.65 |
$3.65 |
$3.85 |
$4.00 |
Bus riders, lest you felt left out in the discussion – the proposed fare increase has something for you too.
Now if you work in Bethesda and live in Montgomery Village, or commute to DC or the Pentagon from the outlying suburbs using an Express bus you are safe. No fare increases for you. You are a protected species.
Deadline HAS BEEN EXTENDED for this survey: 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 21.
Some of you have already taken the Budget Survey FY2013 so what I have to say you’ve already seen. For others- this is my fair warning.
If a college freshman had handed this survey in as part of an assignment they would’ve failed. The language is loaded, the choices tortured, and I’m pretty sure that the instrument itself is not 508 compliant (since you need javascript turned on in order to rank lists of items for the first few questions).
|
|
|
Email #WMATA some straight talk
Tired of all the lies, excuses and double talk?
Email them some straight talk of your own.
Deadline for all written testimony: 5 p.m. on Monday, March 12.
The face-to-face public hearing period is over. You may submit written testimony by following the instructions found here (“How to Submit Written Comments“) or by using the form below.